2018 WMA General Assembly

At the biennial General Assembly held on 8 September, a competition rest day, over 140 Delegates voted the Chairwoman of the Masters Committee of the German Athletic Federation into the demanding role as President and leader of our now 171 Member Nations. She becomes the first female leader of an Organisation that can boost more competitors (over 12,000 in Miyazaki, Japan in 1993) at its Track & Field Championships, than all combined sports at the Olympic Games.

Margit had served as Vice President on WMA Council since 2013 and been the President’s right hand person. She is also a current member of the IAAF’s Masters Committee.

There was a standing ovation for outgoing President, Australian Stan Perkins, who has since his election in 2009 presided over our global expansion and seen WMA move its registration from Sweden to Monaco. This involved an enormous amount of legal work including drafting a totally new Constitution to comply with Monegasque Law. New sub-Committees have been set up and WMA now also covers Mountain and Ultra Distance running. Stan saw Masters men and women exhibition 800m races included at IAAF World Indoor and outdoor Championships; a WMA Indoor Championships being held in Asia (Daegu 2017) for the first time, and watched over 8,000 competitors at our Track & Field Championships in Lyon in 2016 and 9,000-plus in Riccione in 2007.

Sport however is mercurial, there have been major changes during the past few years; the IAAF has elected a new President who has a different policy and more youth-focus emphasis; elite athletics has become more professional and in many countries Masters athletics is left to a few dedicated people to organise with little or no support or recognition.

The leaders of the 2020 Organising Committee in Toronto updated the Assembly on progress on what no doubt will be another memorable Track & Field Championships in this lovely city.

They have already started working with a Member of Parliament and all Embassies to ensure that competitors should not experience difficulty in obtaining a Visa. Competitors are advised to apply well in advance.

The Toronto video on the venues, travel, accommodation etc. can be viewed on www.wmatoronto2020.com We strongly recommend you do have a look at this informative video.

There were three very good Presentations from the cities of Gothenburg, L’Aquila in Italy and the Finnish city of Tampere to host the 2022 WMA Track & Field Championships. The Swedish delegation got the vote and we look forward to returning to Gothenburg in 2022 to the city that hosted our 1977 Championships. Information now available at www.masters2022.com

A Delegation had also come over from Edmonton to bid for the 2021 WMA Indoor Championships. We look forward to returning to Canada 6-12 April. Again all the information you need is now available on www.wma2021, follow the links on this website.

We thank all WMA Officers, the LOC, Officials and Volunteers here for the enormous amount of work they do behind the scene for our hugely successful sport.